


Fight Like a Girl

by graciegirl2001



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, FMA Secret Santa 2018, Young!Royai, lil bit angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 10:34:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17222390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graciegirl2001/pseuds/graciegirl2001
Summary: “‘Was it worth it?’ she had asked.”“What did you tell her?” Riza barely mumbled.Placing a bandage on the girl’s cheek, Roy shrugged. “I told her it was. I would have taken ten more beatings before I saw that kid get hurt any longer.”“... They were making fun of you.”





	Fight Like a Girl

**Author's Note:**

> I heard @malahmente is a fan of Young!Royai- Merry Christmas!

Riza usually arrived back from school with a grin on her face, or at the least a snide remark to be directed at Roy on her tongue, but today was different. 

Roy himself was enveloped in his book when she came stomping past the parlor, unaware of her scowl.

“Welcome home,” he called, turning a page and finally glancing up. “Why are you in such a h- … oh! What’s wrong with your face? Oi! Hold on Riza!” The apprentice scrambled after her down the hall. 

A door slammed from ahead and Roy heard the click of a lock. The rush of water sounded inside the restroom, and he pressed his ear against it.

“Riza?”

“Give me some privacy won’t you!” Came the muffled reply.

Roy frowned. What could have happened in the few hours she had been away? 

“Oh come on, did I do something wrong? Is your nose okay? And your eye?”

“Shut up! I’m fine.”

The faucet stopped and the boy could hear heavy breathing from inside. 

“Please Riza. I just want to help,” he spoke gently, resting his head against the peeling paint in exasperation.

All was quiet for a few minutes, and Roy could almost see the girl debating over her options. Finally, the door creaked open, Riza’s glare becoming visible. She may have been trying to look intimidating, but with one eye swollen shut, the scowl looked rather lopsided and ultimately pathetic. 

“What in the world did you do to yourself?”

She made a move to shut the door but Roy wedged himself inside.

“I said I’m fine,” the girl grumbled, plopping herself down on the closed toilet seat. 

“Oh I’m sure you are. I was just concerned about you bleeding all over Master Hawkeye’s carpet.”

Riza looked stricken and he rolled his eyes. “Relax, I was just kidding. Of course I was worried about you! No offense, but you look like you’ve been hit by a truck.”

“Well that’s rude.”

“Maybe so.”

“Are you going to apologize for terrorizing me?”

Roy folded his arms, leaning against the countertop. “You’re stalling.”

The girl frowned and looked away.

Digging through the cabinet below the sink, Roy found some gauze and antiseptic, then dampened a washcloth. Approaching as he might a wounded animal, he crept forward, hand extended. As expected, Riza pulled away stubbornly. 

“We’ve got to clean it Ri.”

She made a grab for the washcloth. “I can take care of myself thank you.”

Holding it just out of reach, the boy shook his head. “You’re always doing so much to help me… can’t I help you for once?” He asked, eyes pleading.

A long pause, then a disgruntled sigh. “Fine, but I don’t want anymore questions out of you.”

“Whatever you say,” he replied, then positioned himself in front of the blonde. She winced as he put pressure on the afflicted areas, but said nothing. The blood flow had stopped by now, but the multicolored bruises wouldn’t be fading anytime soon. 

“Quite a shiner you got there,” he remarked, nodding towards her eye.

“Hey-!”

“I was just thinking out loud, relax.” Roy dabbed at a nasty scrape on her forehead, applying the disinfectant. 

“You know... I remember getting a black eye like this when I was younger. Neighborhood bully was picking on one of the little kids and I tried to talk him down. Needless to say it didn’t go very well. I’m pretty sure I had bruises every shade of the rainbow. 

Riza’s eyes stayed pinned just over his shoulder, refusing to make eye contact. Her breath hitched every so slightly. 

“My sisters threw a fit when I got home that day. They said I shouldn’t have tried to pick a fight.” The boy chuckled. “My aunt, on the other hand just handed me a frozen steak and told me to ice. ‘Was it worth it?’ she had asked.” Roy caught the blonde’s eye, and she flushed red, amber eyes darting away from his searching ones.

“What did you tell her?” She barely mumbled.

Placing a bandage on the girl’s cheek, Roy shrugged. “I told her it was. I would have taken ten more beatings before I saw that kid get hurt any longer.”

Riza didn’t reply at first, seemingly thinking over his words. When she did speak, it was preceded by a heavy sigh, the kind where you could almost hear the weight of the thoughts carried with it.

“... They were making fun of you.”

He smiled sadly and packed another square of gauze on. 

“They were calling you dumb things like ‘slant eyes’ and ‘outsider’. They said my dad was crazy too…” Riza looked uncomfortable. “Said he loved you more than me.” 

Roy paused, feeling a spark of anger ignite inside of him. The name calling wasn’t new- he was used to it by now… but the last comment, he could tell, ran deeper.

“I punched one of them and they got angry. A few of them held me down… and well…” she gestured to her swollen face. 

“Well that doesn’t really seem like a fair fight now does it? I’m sure you could have taken them one on one.” Roy pulled back to put the medical equipment away. Trying to feign nonchalantness. 

Riza offered a small smile. “Yeah. I think I gave a few up them some decent bruises.”

“That’s my girl.”

She grew quiet again. “Sometimes I think Dad loves you more too.” She tugged on her cropped hair. “He barely even talks to me anymore.”

Roy opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted.

“-You don’t have to say anything. That’s not your fault. Things are… difficult for him, I know.” Riza got to her feet. “Thanks for patching me up.” 

She performed a twirl. “How do I look?”

Roy whistled, long and low. “Like you just took on three guys at once in a fight.”

“Fantastic.”

“Hey Riza?”

“Hm.”

He eyed her seriously. “Look, I know you’ve got it handled, but if you ever need those kids set straight-“

The blonde stuck out a hand. “You’ll be the first one I call. I promise.”

Instead of accepting the handshake he gave Riza’s arm a tug, pulling her in for a quick squeeze. 

“You worry me sometimes Ri. I’m going grey at seventeen with all your little scuffles. Take care of yourself won’t ya?”

“Yeah yeah, I’ll be careful. Now stop coddling me- I’m fine now.” Riza squirmed out of the embrace, an amused smile finding its way into the corners of her mouth.

Their conversation was interrupted by a raspy voice emanating from the study. “Time for our next lesson boy! I’ll expect you in the library.”

Both children turned to listen, and Riza sighed.

“Yes sir,” Roy called back.

She gathered her discarded school bag from the bathroom floor. “I suppose that’s my cue to leave. If I’m lucky, Father won’t notice me until the bruises are all gone.” 

The boy frowned ever so slightly, but couldn’t help but agree. They both knew there would be no nurturing going on on Berthold’s end if he found out Riza got in a fight. 

“Make sure you keep icing it.”

“I will.”

“And take some pain medication if it’s bothering you.”

“Okay.”

“Are you sure you don’t need anything?”

“Go on to your lesson Roy!” She chuckled and gave him a shove out the door. “A few cuts and bruises isn’t going to kill me. I can’t say the same for you if you don’t get in there though.”

“Aw do I really have to? I’d much rather hang out with you all day.”

“I’m just going to be doing homework and fighting off a headache. Nothing exciting.”

Walking backwards away from the bathroom now, Roy huffed out an exaggerated sigh. “Fine fine. I’ll leave you in peace.”

Riza waved in reply, and stopped mid turn. “Thanks for all that by the way. Really. It’s… nice to know someone’s looking out for me, ya know?” She smiled softly, and in an instant had vanished down the hallway.

He grinned after her, warmth spreading through his chest. 

“Don’t keep me waiting Mustang! We have things to do!”

Roy winced, yanked out of his moment of bliss. Right. There were other things to focus on right now. 

With that, he took one last look in his friend’s direction and ducked into the library, where Master Hawkeye was waiting.

_ “Stop worrying Roy,”  _ he chastised himself.  _ “She’s ten times tougher than you’ll ever be. Riza will be perfectly fine… right?” _

  
  



End file.
